Alliance Chairman Spotlights Economic Progress
Published Feb 13, 2009
Steven Holwerda can monitor new downtown development from his office at Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, where he is chief operating officer.
As a business leader and advocate for the city’s business community, Steven Holwerda is able to see both the forest and the trees when it comes to Portland’s growth and development.
Holwerda, chief operating officer of Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, is the 2008-09 chairman of the Portland Business Alliance. He recently talked about Alliance activities and the region’s potential for future growth.
Q During your time with the Portland Business Alliance and its predecessor organization, how have you seen the focus evolve?
A I was on the Portland Chamber of Commerce board for a few years before we merged with the Association of Portland Progress and became the Portland Business Alliance. The Alliance is a much larger organization that not only provides advocacy for the region’s businesses and wears the badge of the chamber of commerce, but we also oversee many downtown marketing and safety programs.
In addition, we have intensified our focus for advocacy. The Alliance is the voice that speaks out to city, county and state officials to inform them of policies that may jeopardize or compromise the health of businesses, which would lead to fewer jobs, lower payroll and ultimately fewer tax dollars for government services.
Q In the last decade or so, what are some of the major changes you’ve seen in Portland’s business economy in terms of growth sectors and new players?
A The last 10 years have created a few changes to the Portland economy, beginning with the technology boom in the late 1990s, the subsequent unwinding of that boom, and then the hyper-drive real estate boom that is now correcting in both housing and commercial development.
We are fortunate to have a very successful and meaningful technology base, with Intel at the core. Our economy felt the unwinding of the technology boom in the early part of this decade to a greater extent than most, but we had also benefited on the upside. Today, our technology base is very strong and significant, but other industries have emerged in the last 10 years.
In the last couple years, Portland has established itself on the national scale as a green city and a place where sustainable-energy companies want to locate. Vestas, the premier wind-energy company in the world, established its North American headquarters in Portland in 2007. Solarworld opened North America’s largest solar-cell manufacturing facility in Hillsboro in October 2008.
They provide a solid foundation for the future growth in the sustainable-energy industry.
Q Going forward, what do you think some of the driving economic forces are going to be in the area, and how is the Alliance working to grow and evolve those areas?
A We see the driving economic forces to be shaped by the major industries that already define our region, such as technology, manufacturing, wood products and service industries.
The Alliance will continue to be an advocate for businesses large and small in all industries. We recognize that the impact of major employers goes beyond their payroll, and it has a multiplier effect to all the small businesses that exist to service them.
Our networking events are designed to mix small and big business to help generate relationships and eventually synergies between companies.
We support organizations such as Greenlight Greater Portland and the Portland Development Commission, which are recruiting new businesses to Portland. Together, we can connect new companies with our business community.
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Jeff Adkins
Current Weather Conditions In Portland, OR (97201)
Clear, and 56 ° F. For more details?
Click here...
